Explaining the case of a person who makes a statement when his behaviour is not consistent with that statement and profession, like the infidels (of whom God hath said): “and if thou ask them who created the heavens and the earth they will surely say, ‘Allah.’” How is the worship of a stone idol and the sacrifice of life and wealth for its sake appropriate to a soul which knows that the creator of heaven and earth and (all) created beings is a God, all-hearing, all-seeing, omnipresent, all-observing, all dominating, jealous, etc.?

زاهدی را یک زنی بد بس غیور ** هم بد او را یک کنیزک هم‌چو حور

A certain ascetic had a very jealous wife: he also had a maid-servant (beautiful) as a houri.

زان ز غیرت پاس شوهر داشتی ** با کنیزک خلوتش نگذاشتی

The wife used to watch her husband jealously and not let him be alone with the maid.

مدتی زن شد مراقب هر دو را ** تاکشان فرصت نیفتد در خلا 2165

For a long time the wife watched them both, lest an opportunity should occur for their being alone (together)—

تا در آمد حکم و تقدیر اله ** عقل حارس خیره‌سر گشت و تباه

Until the decree and fore-ordainment of God arrived: (then) the watchman, Reason, became giddy-headed and good-for-nothing.

حکم و تقدیرش چو آید بی‌وقوف ** عقل کی بود در قمر افتد خسوف

When His decree and fore-ordainment arrives unawares, who is Reason? Eclipse overtakes (even) the moon.

بود در حمام آن زن ناگهان ** یادش آمد طشت و در خانه بد آن

The wife was at the (public) bath: suddenly she remembered the wash-basin and (that) it was (had been left) at home.

با کنیزک گفت رو هین مرغ‌وار ** طشت سیمین را ز خانه‌ی ما بیار

She said to the maid, “Hark, go like a bird and fetch the silver basin from our house.”

آن کنیزک زنده شد چون این شنید ** که به خواجه این زمان خواهد رسید 2170

On hearing this, the maid came to life, for (she knew that) now she would obtain (a meeting with) the master,

خواجه در خانه‌ست و خلوت این زمان ** پس دوان شد سوی خانه شادمان

(Since) the master was then at home and alone. So she ran joyously to the house.

عشق شش ساله کنیزک را بد این ** که بیابد خواجه را خلوت چنین

For six years the maid had been longing to find the master alone like this.

گشت پران جانب خانه شتافت ** خواجه را در خانه در خلوت بیافت

She flew off and hastened towards the house: she found the master at home and alone.

هر دو عاشق را چنان شهوت ربود ** که احتیاط و یاد در بستن نبود

Desire took possession of both the lovers so (mightily) that they had no care or thought of bolting the door.

هر دو با هم در خزیدند از نشاط ** جان به جان پیوست آن دم ز اختلاط 2175

Ambo summa alacritate coierunt: copulatis corporibus anima cum anima conjuncta est. [Both moved toward one another from joy; by means of (bodily) copulation, soul joined to soul (in) that moment.]

یاد آمد در زمان زن را که من ** چون فرستادم ورا سوی وطن

Then the wife recollected (and said to herself), “Why did I send her (back) to the house?

پنبه در آتش نهادم من به خویش ** اندر افکندم قج نر را به میش

I have set the cotton on fire with my own hand, I have put the lusty ram to the ewe.”

گل فرو شست از سر و بی‌جان دوید ** در پی او رفت و چادر می‌کشید

She washed off the clay (soap) from her head and ran, beside herself (with anxiety): she went in pursuit of her (the maid), drawing the chádar (over her head as she ran).

آن ز عشق جان دوید و این ز بیم ** عشق کو و بیم کو فرقی عظیم

The former (the maid) ran because of the love in her soul, and the latter (the wife) because of fear. What is fear in comparison with love? (There is) a great difference.

سیر عارف هر دمی تا تخت شاه ** سیر زاهد هر مهی یک روزه راه 2180

The mystic's progress is (an ascension) at every moment to the throne of the (Divine) King; the ascetic's progress is one day's journey every month.

گرچه زاهد را بود روزی شگرف ** کی بود یک روز او خمسین الف

Although, for the ascetic, one day is of great value, (yet) how should his one day be (equal to) fifty thousand (years)?

قدر هر روزی ز عمر مرد کار ** باشد از سال جهان پنجه هزار

The length of every day in the life of the adept is fifty thousand of the years of the world.

عقلها زین سر بود بیرون در ** زهره‌ی وهم ار بدرد گو بدر

Intellects are excluded from this mystery: if the heart of Imagination burst, let it burst!

ترس مویی نیست اندر پیش عشق ** جمله قربانند اندر کیش عشق

In the sight of Love, fear is not (so much as) a single hair: in the law of Love, all things (else) are (offered) as a sacrifice.

عشق وصف ایزدست اما که خوف ** وصف بنده‌ی مبتلای فرج و جوف 2185

Love is an attribute of God, but fear is an attribute of the servant (of God) who is afflicted by lust and gluttony. [Love is an attribute of God, but fear is an attribute of the servant (of God) who is afflicted by vulva and belly.]

چون یحبون بخواندی در نبی ** با یحبوهم قرین در مطلبی

Since you have read in the Qur’án (the words) “they love Him” joined in a certain place with (the words) “He loves them,”

پس محبت وصف حق دان عشق نیز ** خوف نبود وصف یزدان ای عزیز

Know, then, that love (mahabbat), and excessive love (‘ishq) too, is an attribute of God: fear is not an attribute of God, O honoured sir.

وصف حق کو وصف مشتی خاک کو ** وصف حادث کو وصف پاک کو

What relation exists between the attributes of God and those of a handful of earth? What relation exists between the attributes of him who is originated in time and those of the Holy (Eternal) One?

شرح عشق ار من بگویم بر دوام ** صد قیامت بگذرد و آن ناتمام

If I should continue to describe Love, a hundred Resurrections would pass, and it (my description would still be) incomplete;

زانک تاریخ قیامت را حدست ** حد کجا آنجا که وصف ایزدست 2190

For there is a limit to the date of the Resurrection, but what limit can there be where the Divine attributes are (concerned)?

عشق را پانصد پرست و هر پری ** از فراز عرش تا تحت‌الثری

Love hath five hundred wings, and every wing (extends) from above the empyrean to beneath the earth.

زاهد با ترس می‌تازد به پا ** عاشقان پران‌تر از برق و هوا

The timorous ascetic runs on foot; the lovers (of God) fly more quickly than the lightning and the wind.

کی رسند این خایفان در گرد عشق ** که آسمان را فرش سازد درد عشق

How should those fearful ones overtake Love?—for Love's passion makes the (lofty) heaven its carpet—

جز مگر آید عنایتهای ضو ** کز جهان و زین روش آزاد شو

Unless perchance the favours of the (Divine) Light come and say, “Become free from the world and from this wayfaring;

از قش خود وز دش خود باز ره ** که سوی شه یافت آن شهباز ره 2195

Escape from thine own qush and dush, for (only) the royal falcon has found the way to the King.”

این قش و دش هست جبر و اختیار ** از ورای این دو آمد جذب یار

This “qush and dush” is necessity and free-will: the pull of the Beloved (who draws you to Himself) transcends these twain.

چون رسید آن زن به خانه در گشاد ** بانگ در در گوش ایشان در فتاد

When the wife arrived home, she opened the door: the sound of the door fell on their ears.

آن کنیزک جست آشفته ز ساز ** مرد بر جست و در آمد در نماز

The maid jumped up in consternation and disorder; the man jumped up and began to say his prayers.

زن کنیزک را پژولیده بدید ** درهم و آشفته و دنگ و مرید

The wife saw that the maid was dishevelled and confused and excited and witless and unmanageable.

شوی خود را دید قایم در نماز ** در گمان افتاد زن زان اهتزاز 2200

She saw her husband standing up (and engaged) in the ritual prayer: the wife was made suspicious by (all) that agitation.